Dr. Charles Szyman faced 19 counts of allegedly “knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed unlawfully, and attempted to distribute and dispense unlawfully, a controlled substance outside of his professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose."

A five-day trial in federal court ended Friday in the not guilty verdict.

Wisconsin regulators also suspended his license. Proceedings on if license should be revoked will likely wait until after the criminal case is completed, state officials have said.

Dr. Szyman's attorney, Beau B. Brindley, released the following statement:

"We believe that the jury’s decision should send a message to the federal government that we cannot try to paper over the opioid crisis by scapegoating doctors who are simply trying to do their jobs in treating people with debilitating pain. The government needs to address the real problem of addiction and treatment and leave our hardworking doctors alone. Dr. Szyman worked hard to take care of his patients. And the government was wrong to interfere with that. The jury’s verdict made that statement loud and clear."